Help - we're just starting to think about renting our place out on a limited basis - to friends etc - and have received an enquirey for a 3 to 6 month rent starting in srping. We're tempted - but since this time could possible also cover the high holiday zseason - when we planned to spend time out there and have other enquireys already - I was wondering about this.
Obviously you can't charge the same for this sort of rental as you can for a 2 week holiday.
Its a traditional - but fully 3 bed modernized home and we were figuring to rent to the holiday market at around £350 - 400 / week in the high season as we're in land and only have a swimming lake nearby - not a pool ... suggestions / thoughs please
Thanks
Just starting to think about renting - and a have received F
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Alan Knighting
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ejc-free (you must have a better name than that which your new friends on this Forum can use),
There are two aspects to this.
I agree with Paolo. A rather vague enquiry "for 3 to 6 months starting in the Spring" has a couple of the characteristics of a scam. I'm not saying it is scam but it could be. Post a copy of the enquiry here and you will get plenty of opinions on it.
Even if it is a genuine enquiry, you are correct in thinking about the rent you will get, particularly if a "long" let runs into the mid or high seasons. Most people wanting long lets are not prepared to pay much. You could be better off without it and get just a few weeks at mid or high season rates instead. Also, a long let would totally preclude you from using your holiday home - not the idea at all?
My approach is a simple one.
Out of season I am happy to discuss a letting for 2 or 3 months but only if the tenant is paying the outgoings (water, gas, electricity, etc.). It keeps the property up-and-running which can be better than it standing gathering dust and damp and it keeps the bank account ticking over.
In season I wouldn’t dream of discussing a long let. Even if the tenant was prepared to pay the full rent the property would not be available for my regular visitors and they would naturally go elsewhere. Getting my regulars back for the following seasons could be very difficult and I am not prepared to take the risk.
Finally, a little comment on your proposed rental level. Whether you are inland or beside the sea, whether you have a pool or not, £350/£400 per week for a fully modernised and fully equipped 3-bedroom house in high season seems very modest to me. It’s OK if you are just considering family and friends but if you will be letting to the general public I think you should reconsider.
Alan
There are two aspects to this.
I agree with Paolo. A rather vague enquiry "for 3 to 6 months starting in the Spring" has a couple of the characteristics of a scam. I'm not saying it is scam but it could be. Post a copy of the enquiry here and you will get plenty of opinions on it.
Even if it is a genuine enquiry, you are correct in thinking about the rent you will get, particularly if a "long" let runs into the mid or high seasons. Most people wanting long lets are not prepared to pay much. You could be better off without it and get just a few weeks at mid or high season rates instead. Also, a long let would totally preclude you from using your holiday home - not the idea at all?
My approach is a simple one.
Out of season I am happy to discuss a letting for 2 or 3 months but only if the tenant is paying the outgoings (water, gas, electricity, etc.). It keeps the property up-and-running which can be better than it standing gathering dust and damp and it keeps the bank account ticking over.
In season I wouldn’t dream of discussing a long let. Even if the tenant was prepared to pay the full rent the property would not be available for my regular visitors and they would naturally go elsewhere. Getting my regulars back for the following seasons could be very difficult and I am not prepared to take the risk.
Finally, a little comment on your proposed rental level. Whether you are inland or beside the sea, whether you have a pool or not, £350/£400 per week for a fully modernised and fully equipped 3-bedroom house in high season seems very modest to me. It’s OK if you are just considering family and friends but if you will be letting to the general public I think you should reconsider.
Alan
Thanks for these replies - don't think it's a scam - its a family who've sold their house here in the UK - completion is February and they want to spend some time in France before committing to buy - am trying to arrange a meeting before we take it any further, because obviously if we do this - then it will impact our freedom to spend time there this summer. But the upside is that with a new business taking off over here - we don't seem to have much time to visit - and have had to put our permanent relocation off for a while, so having someone living in the house would have real benefits as we don't want the house to be left unused for months at a time.
I know we're not asking alot for holiday rents - but our home is inland - on the outskirts of a small village - and isn't in a "tourist" type resort - we're really only planning to let it to family, friends or colleagues from work - not on the open market. We between futurescope and the puy du fou about an hour inland from La Rochelle with no pool and with a great workers bistro in the village - but no resteraunt open in the evening - it's not in an ideal location for most people wanting a holiday. We bought it as a permanent home...
I know we're not asking alot for holiday rents - but our home is inland - on the outskirts of a small village - and isn't in a "tourist" type resort - we're really only planning to let it to family, friends or colleagues from work - not on the open market. We between futurescope and the puy du fou about an hour inland from La Rochelle with no pool and with a great workers bistro in the village - but no resteraunt open in the evening - it's not in an ideal location for most people wanting a holiday. We bought it as a permanent home...
Carpe diem
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Alan Knighting
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Sorry! I thought you said you were planning to spend some time in the house. I didn't realise it was a permanent home.We bought it as a permanent home...
Ah, well! In that case none of it matters. Move in as soon as you can and enjoy the rest of your life.
In the meantime, why not let someone else enjoy it as well?
Alan
Hope we're not at cross purposes here - we are having to use the house as a holiday home for now & probably for the next 2 to 3 years, (eventually it will be our main home), and have been approached by another family - who say having sold their home in the UK they are looking for a french base for 3 to 6 months to rent while they look around to buy.
We're tempted by this offer - because work means we won't get out to france until late summer at the earliest - and we don't want to leave the house empty. On the other hand - we seem to have numerous "friends and acquaintences" who asked us if we are planning to let the house as they'd like a holiday there....... the unsaid thing at this point are the word "cheap" - which is why we are producing a leaflet to be able to give out when we're asked. But if we go for this other enquirey - we will effectively block out our use of the house possibly up to the end of August....
We're tempted by this offer - because work means we won't get out to france until late summer at the earliest - and we don't want to leave the house empty. On the other hand - we seem to have numerous "friends and acquaintences" who asked us if we are planning to let the house as they'd like a holiday there....... the unsaid thing at this point are the word "cheap" - which is why we are producing a leaflet to be able to give out when we're asked. But if we go for this other enquirey - we will effectively block out our use of the house possibly up to the end of August....
Carpe diem
I wouldn't bank on letting out to friends and family - their expectations of 'cheap' could be 'free' and as soon as it isn't they will go elsewhere. It is very uncertain - before leaving the UK I made sure that I let everyone know I was running a business and Peak season bargains would not be an option. Out of season its different.
Another thing to bear in mind (just my experience with long term lets) - the wear and tear on your house for a 6 month let will be considerably more that if you just let for the holiday season. However, you will have a guaranteed income, lets say £400 per month. You could get the same even if you only let for the 6 weeks school hols and charge £400 per week, with less wear and tear. However, you may need to fork out for a housekeeper/cleaner on top of this and you would have the additional pressure of managing the place from a distance if things go wrong.
This probably doesn't help you at all, but until you get a deposit in your bank, don't count on a booking, even if they are friends.
Another thing to bear in mind (just my experience with long term lets) - the wear and tear on your house for a 6 month let will be considerably more that if you just let for the holiday season. However, you will have a guaranteed income, lets say £400 per month. You could get the same even if you only let for the 6 weeks school hols and charge £400 per week, with less wear and tear. However, you may need to fork out for a housekeeper/cleaner on top of this and you would have the additional pressure of managing the place from a distance if things go wrong.
This probably doesn't help you at all, but until you get a deposit in your bank, don't count on a booking, even if they are friends.
Dare I say it, but perhaps especially if they are friends?until you get a deposit in your bank, don't count on a booking, even if they are friends.
Friends are more informal and thus more prone to cancelling at the last minute. The standard "oh, we're friends, so we don't need a deposit" attitude only exacerbates this.
My parents offered the house to a friend last year, and he booked one week and then changed his mind and wanted to book another. We agreed and changed his booking date... and then he changed his mind again and wanted his original week back, and seemed sort of miffed when I told him we had already re-booked it.
It wasn't that he had unreasonable expectations given his perception of the situation -- it was that his perception was wrong. He just didn't quite get that the house would ever be fully booked for the high season.
So, I agree. I would take the long let from a stranger and tell friends that they can always stay with you next year (or the year after, or whatever)!
Brooke
"Friends are more informal and thus more prone to cancelling at the last minute."
Sometimes they don't even cancel - they just don't turn up. We had a spare ticket for a very special concert that we offered to a friend last week: my husband nearly missed the beginning of the concert because he waited for her outside - she never turned up and nonchalently mailed me a couple of days later to say that she hadn't been able to get there (well yes, we noticed that). No reason or excuse. If we'd known even a couple of hours before we could have given someone else the pleasure of going to the concert.
So: don't count on friends treating your generosity with courtesy.
Sometimes they don't even cancel - they just don't turn up. We had a spare ticket for a very special concert that we offered to a friend last week: my husband nearly missed the beginning of the concert because he waited for her outside - she never turned up and nonchalently mailed me a couple of days later to say that she hadn't been able to get there (well yes, we noticed that). No reason or excuse. If we'd known even a couple of hours before we could have given someone else the pleasure of going to the concert.
So: don't count on friends treating your generosity with courtesy.
Best,
Alexia.
Alexia.
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Alan Knighting
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Liz,
No cross purposes at all - just a misunderstanding on my part.
In the circumstances I would endorse what others have said. That is, subject to being very clear beforehand on who is paying for services and what is to be done about dilapidations and damages. In my experience family and friends do expect to get everything for next to nothing and it is very difficult to sort out these things after the event.
Alan
No cross purposes at all - just a misunderstanding on my part.
In the circumstances I would endorse what others have said. That is, subject to being very clear beforehand on who is paying for services and what is to be done about dilapidations and damages. In my experience family and friends do expect to get everything for next to nothing and it is very difficult to sort out these things after the event.
Alan
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Alan Knighting
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I've never seemed to have the problem of friends/family thinking they can get a freebie. We've always made it clear the cottage is a business to us. I guess it is different in cold Northumberland though to the South of France/Spain!
Mind, my brother did use the cottage (free!) last year. He went up on a Tuesday night in February and complained: "Nowt was open"
Mind, my brother did use the cottage (free!) last year. He went up on a Tuesday night in February and complained: "Nowt was open"
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Alan Knighting
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